How far did you get: Completed game and cleared all outposts
Due to a very late release in the year, this game was snubbed by a lot of game journalists in their game of the year awards, and it's a real shame. It's easily one of the best looking games of the year (topped only by Medal of Honor: Warfighter, which wasn't a good game). It's open world style brings back memories of other first person open world shooters like Fallout 3, only the shooting mechanics here are top notch.
Far Cry 3 takes places on islands full of jungle and sand, not unlike the other two Far Cry games. Several things set this game apart from other modern first person shooters. Firstly, it has a single player skill tree, giving it a slight RPG element. Most modern first person shooters also have very linear campaigns, and Far Cry 3 does not. More importantly, Far Cry 3 is all about the single player campaign. If you're looking for multiplayer to rival Halo 4 or Call of Duty: Black Ops 2, you're going to be disappointed. However, when you get a campaign that spans anywhere from 25-40 hours, this is perfectly understandable.
That is the argument most used when overlooking this game for GOTY awards, though. It's not a "total package" and the multiplayer feels tacked on. They aren't wrong, the multiplayer is pretty mediocre. The co-op is pretty good except it's bugged to the point where it's almost unplayable. The co-op is also not you and some friends playing through the story mode. There are missions designed specifically for co-op and you play as a different set of characters than those from the main story. The buggy co-op is probably my one and only real complaint. I really wanted to see it through, but if I have to struggle to make my "w" key make me move forward, then your game has problems.
What's great is that it is hard to pin down what I liked most about this game. Due to it's openness, incredibly funny and random things would happen throughout my time on the islands. You might be hunting a deer, when a tiger jumps out and takes care of them for you. Perhaps a tiger will take care of an outpost for you. If you're lucky, you'll get to see a bear and a pack of tigers go at it. The wildlife is about as unpredictable as it is in real life, and it made for a pretty hilarious and fun experience.
The main story is really impressive, as well. A few modern entertainment jabs make their way in there, but overall it's pretty grim and unpleasant (in a good way). I do enjoy a story that starts out one way and gives you another option later, and this game delivers in that aspect. You even get to choose your ending, and let me tell you: there will be a part of you in the back of your head screaming "pick this one." Listen to it.
Far Cry 3 controls like a dream. It's taxing even on high end video cards if you choose the PC version, but it rewards you with some of the best visuals of this generation. Just make sure you update those drivers, especially if you're using a Radeon card.
Overall, Far Cry 3 is easily the best mainstream game I've played from 2012. Everything except the multiplayer is top notch game design, and it comes highly recommended from me.
Rating: 92/100
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